The conventional coaxial cable usually consists of an electrically conducting center conductor, a first layer comprising a dielectric, a second layer comprising an electrically conducting sheath, a third layer comprising a braid, and a fourth layer comprising a jacket, or multiple layer combinations of either or both.
Currently, cable TV network systems use outdoor and indoor taps which are constructed as in FIG. 1. At least one input 11 and in most cases one output 12 are connected with the cable wire to transmit the signal to the next device. Networks on the inside of the taps including the printed circuit board (pcb) of tap units distribute and transmit the signal through F-port connector 13, then through cable wire to the end user. One such tap is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,979, commonly assigned herewith.
The conventional F-port connector 13 is generally tubular in configuration and may have a front end carrying an appropriate fastener designed to mate with equipment ports or terminals. Additionally, the conventional F-type connector or port comprises a standard female interface and includes a first hollow annular member having a generally cylindrical inner surface, end openings and a generally cylindrical outer surface extending for a portion of the axial length of the first annular hollow member.
Such connectors are used in the television industry, for example, on equipment for distributing signals to customer's homes. Any signal not being used must be terminated without leakage. Normally, this is done with a separate external terminator connector.
Additionally, in the cable television industry, it is common to have many subscribers connected to the system via multiple connections. Electrical connecting devices are commonly used throughout the industry and it is not uncommon for any number of customers to be connected for differing and varying services delivered via a cable wire or wires. Problems arise when one or more customers opt for multiple service options such as cable television and/or telephone service through the same distribution system or when one or several customers wish to terminate service. These problems may be illustrated by considering, for example, the actions necessary in a neighborhood where via a tap housing as illustrated in FIG. 1, multiple customers are connected to the cable television system, when one customer wants to add telephone service through the cable system or another wishes to disconnect the system altogether, and/or another wishes to add the telephony and terminate the television service. With present technology, to accommodate these customers a field technician must go to the site to open the tap distribution unit and put an additional connection wire to add the telephony. It also requires a field technician to screw the unit apart and disconnect or remove the wire to discontinue telephony services; and to install a terminator connector for discontinued RF (TV) signals to the disconnected unit. If a terminator is not installed on all unused F-ports or connectors, the quality of the signal will be degraded and additional problems along with customer complaints will be generated. Additionally, in many cases the terminator is dropped or lost by the field technician and as a consequence is not installed and the unit is then left unterminated and the quality of the signal is degraded for the remaining customers.
Automatically terminating printed circuit board BNC connectors are known. Such pcbs are useful in input-output ports for network adapter cards, video matrix switches, video amplifiers, test equipment such as local oscillator and calibration outputs of signal analyzers, etc. One such known connector comprises a printed circuit board mounted BNC connector, terminating resistor, and moveable center conductor, and is advertised as containing a chip resistor which bridges the signal and ground paths when the connector is not mated to a BNC plug. This connector breaks the termination state by utilization of the center conductor of the mating. When the two connectors are attached to each other, the center pin from the mating part moves the center contact pin of the self-terminating connector opening the terminating circuitry. This arrangement is effective with BNC connectors because the center conductor of the mating part is a rigid pin. This arrangement is not effective with an "F" type connector because in "F" connectors, the center contact is the center conductor of the cable and it will bend or deflect or break during the contact necessary to move the pin to actuate the termination. There is thus a continued need in the art for self-terminating "F" -type connectors.